Zimbabwe’s national population census entered its sixth day Thursday with reports that there were serious shortages of data collection forms in Matabeleland and Masvingo provinces.

Population Census manager Washington Mapeta of the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency told Studio 7 the shortages have resulted in the suspension of the exercise in some parts of Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South and Masvingo.

The exercise was dogged by problems from the onset as census training workshops for enumerators were hijacked by soldiers, suspected Zanu PF supporters and operatives of the Central Intelligence Organisation.

Some enumerators also failed to secure census identification T-shirts and bibs.

Mapeta said the situation was still under control despite some problems facing the enumeration program.

Zimbabwe's last census was held in 2002. That census showed that the country had about 11.6 million people.

Officially launching the program recently, President Robert Mugabe said he was not pleased with the low population fugures 10 years ago which reflected the devastating effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the country.

Zimbabwe has one of the highest HIV/AIDS infection rates in the world.

Mr. Mugabe further said the death rate was higher than the birth rate since Zimbabwean women had adopted what he called western ideas of not having many children.